Publications

01 Sep 2010
News

Faculty Research Online

The Hard Work of Measuring Social Impact Donors are placing nonprofits on the hot seat to measure social performance. Problem is, there is little agreement on what those metrics should be. Associate Professor Alnoor Ebrahim discusses how... View Details

Keywords: Securities, Commodities, and Other Financial Investments; Securities, Commodities, and Other Financial Investments

April 1994 (Revised November 1998)
Case

Kendall Square Research Corporation (A)

By: William J. Bruns Jr.

Kendall Square Research was a small competitor in the supercomputer industry. As sales grew rapidly in 1992 and early 1993, the company sold stock to the public for the first time and analysts forecast higher earnings for 1993. However, when the company's revenue... View Details

Keywords: Revenue Recognition; Standards; Accounting Audits; Computer Industry

2008
Chapter

How XBRL Will Dramatically Improve Reporting and Control Processes

By: Robert G. Eccles, Liv Watson and Mike Willis

Keywords: Financial Reporting; Applications and Software; Standards

July 1998
Article

New Derivative and Hedging Accounting Standard

By: David F. Hawkins

Keywords: Credit Derivatives and Swaps; Accounting; Standards

Find at Harvard

August 2011
Teaching Note

Subprime Crisis and Fair-Value Accounting (TN)

By: Paul Healy, Krishna G. Palepu and George Serafeim

Teaching Note for 109-031. View Details

Keywords: Fair Value Accounting; Mortgages; Standards; Financial Crisis

August 2010
Supplement

Batson International, S.A. (C)

By: David F. Hawkins

Senior management must sign a management letter. An internal audit reveals a number of questionable accounting practices (B case). How should senior management respond? View Details

Keywords: Accounting Audits; Financial Reporting; International Accounting; Managerial Roles; Standards; United States

01 Dec 2010
News

Eight Join HBS Faculty

Management. After completing his doctorate, Serafeim accepted a teaching position at HBS, one of eight newcomers to join the faculty. Serafeim, an assistant professor in the Accounting & Management Unit, teaches the first-year course View Details

03 Dec 2018
Research & Ideas

How Companies Can Increase Market Rewards for Sustainability Efforts

flavijus For the first time, a link has been drawn between public sentiment about a company’s sustainability practices and how that company is valued in the market. The results are important both for investors searching for under-valued, socially responsible companies,... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne

July 2007 (Revised October 2007)
Case

Cintas y Lazos, Inc.

By: David F. Hawkins

A recent Cuban immigrant establishes a new notions store. The initial 3-month, GAAP-based income statement differs from one prepared by an economist friend. The store owner wants to know why one shows a profit and the other a loss. View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Financial Statements; Management Practices and Processes; Standards; Retail Industry; Florida

December 2003 (Revised November 2015)
Background Note

The Fiduciary Relationship: A Legal Perspective

By: Lynn Sharp Paine

Discusses the concept of a fiduciary, as developed in the Anglo-American common law tradition, and outlines the principal differences between the legal standard applied to fiduciaries compared to ordinary arms'-length contractors. View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Assets; Financial Management; Common Law; Standards

November 2010 (Revised December 2010)
Case

Electro, Inc.

By: David F. Hawkins

CFO of U.S. company preparing for U.K. analyst meetings reviews his company's 2008 earnings per share calculations. View Details

Keywords: Business Earnings; Financial Reporting; International Accounting; Standards; United Kingdom; United States

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Web

Field Course: Value Creation in Small and Medium Firms - Course Catalog

field to the students”. Course Content and Organization: Selected course sessions: 1. First day speech role play and early actions post acquisition 2. Financial systems, accounting, and metrics 3. Difficult... View Details

August 2023
Article

Do Rating Agencies Behave Defensively for Higher Risk Issuers?

By: Samuel B. Bonsall IV, Kevin Koharki, Pepa Kraft, Karl A. Muller III and Anywhere Sikochi

We examine whether rating agencies act defensively toward issuers with a higher likelihood of default. We find that agencies' qualitative soft rating adjustments are more accurate as issuers' default risk grows, as evidenced by the adjustments leading to lower Type I... View Details

Keywords: Credit Rating Agencies; Soft Rating Adjustments; Default; Credit; Performance Evaluation; Measurement and Metrics; Financial Institutions; Risk Management

November 2010 (Revised February 2011)
Case

BonneSante S.A.

By: David F. Hawkins

IASB and FASB propose new lease accounting rules and the owner of a French chain of fast food outlets is concerned about the impact on his company's balance sheets. View Details

Keywords: Financial Reporting; International Accounting; Policy; Standards; Leasing; Food and Beverage Industry; Retail Industry; France